On this day

29 December in history.

5 moments from 1911 to 1989: discovery, creativity and courage, each with a source to read more.

5 moments

Washington D.C. National press club May 13, 1997 © copyright John Mathew Smith 2001

1989

Václav Havel becomes president. Czech writer and dissident Václav Havel was elected the first post-communist president of Czechoslovakia.

Wikipedia: Václav Havel

Photo: Kingkongphoto & www.celebrity-photos.com from Laurel Maryland, USA / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)

More from 29 December

  1. Togtokh (left) and Bayar in Khüree

    1911

    Mongolia becomes independent

    Mongolia declared its independence from the Qing dynasty.

    Wikipedia: Mongolian Revolution of 1911

    Photo: Unknown author / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)

  2. Publicity portrait of Cecil B. DeMille. On the back has been written: "Cecil B. DeMille, director of special productions for Artcraft Pictures"

    1913

    Hollywood's first feature film

    Cecil B. DeMille began filming The Squaw Man, Hollywood's first feature film.

    Wikipedia: Cecil B. DeMilleWikipedia: The Squaw Man (1914 film)

    Photo: Albert Witzel / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)

  3. 1937

    Ireland adopts its constitution

    Ireland adopted a new constitution, replacing the Irish Free State with a new state called Ireland.

    Wikipedia: Constitution of Ireland

  4. 1959

    Feynman imagines the very small

    Physicist Richard Feynman gave his talk "There's Plenty of Room at the Bottom", foreseeing the field of nanotechnology.

    Wikipedia: There's Plenty of Room at the BottomWikipedia: Richard Feynman

Moments chosen for discovery, creativity and courage. Each one links to a source where you can read more; photos are credited to their owners.